The Exercise Routine that Has Changed My Life

My weight loss journey is ongoing. In the beginning it was all about looking better. As the years have passed, the journey is more about being healthy and fit. I've tried many diets and exercises over the years. I lost weight with some, and gained weight with others. This past year, however, I have lost a total of 55 pounds. I now weigh 240 pounds and am losing more every week. What I am doing is working, and I have yet to feel discouraged. The key to my weight loss has been exercise.

Exercise is very important. Not only do you burn calories, you also become more flexible and toned. You feel better. The key, however, is to start slowly. Far too many people (myself included) started out too vigorously. The result is either burn-out or injury, neither of which is conducive to weight loss. What I came to realize is the importance of taking baby steps...and building upon those steps gradually. In the beginning, I was walking 15 or 20 minutes a day. Here is my current work-out:

Warm-up. Before I start exercising, I warm up by doing some basic stretches. This helps get my body ready for the more vigorous exercise, reducing the risk of injury. I also start walking at a slower pace and walk that way for around 5 minutes before picking up the pace.

Walking. Walking is my favorite exercise. You can do it anywhere. You don't have to be anyplace special. You don't have to wear special clothing (other than good walking shoes). I currently walk for an hour at least 4 times a week. I take my iPod and listen to music with a good beat. It really does one keep the pace up, and it makes the walk more enjoyable as well. I don't have a certain route I walk. I just walk whenever and wherever. The more restrictions I place on myself, the less of a chance there is that I will stick with it.

Jog. Jogging is something that I have always avoided, simply because of my weight. As I have lost weight, however, I find that I am able to jog for short distances. I love to throw a bit of jogging into my walking routine. Out of the hour that I walk, I probably jog at least 15 minutes of that. I am gradually increasing the jogging time.

Stair-stepper. The stepper machine that I have is a great way to work out when the weather is bad or you want to exercise and walking is not an option. I do 2000 steps on it at a resistance level of 2. I can really feel the stepper working my muscles and my core.

Free weights. A trainer I know told me that resistance training is essential to weight loss and fitness. Since finding that out, I have started training with a 10 pound weight. I have 4 sets of arm exercises I do...2-3 repetitions of 12. I also use a resistance band with my legs and arms. I do this every other day, so that my muscles can have a chance to rest.

The exercise that I am doing now is working. There will probably come a point, however, when I will have to change it or add something. A person's body gets used to a certain amount, and becomes less effective. When this happens I will either add more weights, repetitions, or distance to my walk/jog.

Since embarking on my exercise routine, not only have I lost weight, I have lost several clothing sizes. My strength and flexibility have improved as well. I look forward to the rest of my journey.